Threats to the political independence and territorial integrity of Greece

IV. RESOLUTIONS ADOPTED ON THE REPORTS OF THE FIRST COMMITTEE
288. Threats to the political independence and territorial integrity of Greece

A

The General Assembly, Having considered the reports[1] of the United Nations Special Committee on the Balkans established by General Assembly resolution 109 (II)[2] and continued by General Assembly resolution 193 (III),[3] including the additional facts and the recommendations in its supplementary report of 10 September 1949, and in particular its unanimous conclusions that:

(i) Albania and Bulgaria have continued to give moral and material assistance to the Greek guerrilla movement, Albania being the principal source of material assistance;

(ii) There has been an increase in the support afforded to the guerrillas from certain States not bordering upon Greece, particularly Romania,

Having noted the report[4] of the Conciliation Committee established by the First Committee of the General Assembly in its resolution[5] of 29 September 1949,

1. Considers that the active assistance given to the Greek guerrillas by Albania in particular, by Bulgaria and by certain other States, including Romania, in disregard of the Assembly's recommendations, is contrary to the purposes and principles of the United Nations Charter and endangers peace in the Balkans;

2. Considers that further foreign assistance to the Greek guerrillas resulting in the launching of new armed action against Greece from adjacent territory would seriously increase the gravity of the danger to the peace and would justify the Special Committee in recommending, pursuant to paragraph 8 of resolution 109 (II), the convocation, as a matter of urgency, of a special session of the General Assembly in order to give consideration to further steps necessary for the removal of this danger to the peace;

3. Albania, Bulgaria and the other States concerned to cease forthwith rendering any assistance or support to the guerrillas in fighting against Greece, including the use of their territories as a base for the preparation or launching of armed actions;

4. Recommends to all Members of the United Nations and to all other States:

(a) To refrain from any action designed to assist directly or through any other Government any armed group fighting against Greece;

(b) To refrain from the direct or indirect provision of arms or other materials of war to Albania and Bulgaria until the Special Committee or another competent United Nations organ has determined that the unlawful assistance of these States to the Greek guerrillas has ceased;

(c) To take into account, in their relations with Albania and Bulgaria, the extent to which those two countries henceforth abide by the recommendations of the General Assembly in their relations with Greece;

5. Again calls upon Albania, Bulgaria and Yugoslavia to co-operate with Greece in the settlement of their differences by peaceful means, in accordance with the provisions of Article 2, paragraph 3 of the Charter, and to that end recommends:

(a) That, in view of the existence of diplomatic relations between the Governments of Greece and Yugoslavia, further efforts be made by those Governments through diplomatic channels to resolve the differences between them;

(b) That Albania and Bulgaria on the one hand, and Greece on the other, establish normal diplomatic and good-neighbourly relations, and endeavour through diplomatic channels to resolve differences;

(c) That they renew previously operative conventions or conclude new ones providing effective machinery for the regulation and control of their common frontiers and for the peaceful adjustment of frontier incidents;

6. Calls upon Albania, Bulgaria and Yugoslavia to co-operate with the Special Committee in enabling it to carry out its functions, in particular the functions in accordance with paragraph 10 (c) of resolution 193 (III) and paragraphs 8, 9 and 11 of the present resolution, and upon Greece to continue to co-operate towards the same end;

7. Approves the reports of the Special Committee and continues it in being in accordance with all the terms of reference contained in the present resolution and in General Assembly resolutions 109 (II) and 193 (III), which are hereby continued in effect;

8. Again instructs the Special Committee to continue to be available to assist the four Governments concerned in the implementation of the Assembly's resolutions, in particular, to promote the restoration of normal relations between Greece and her northern neighbours and the maintenance of international peace and security in the Balkans, and for this purpose continues the authorization to the Special Committee, in its discretion, to appoint and utilize the services and good offices of one or more persons whether or not members of the Special Committee;

9. Notes the report[6] of the Special Committee which states that the Governments of Albania, Bulgaria and Yugoslavia have publicly announced that Greek guerrillas who have entered their respective territories have been disarmed and interned, and calls upon all States harbouring Greek guerrillas to co-operate with the Special Committee or other appropriate international agency for verification of the disarming and disposition of the Greek guerrillas who have entered their respective territories;

10. Calls upon all States harbouring Greek nationals as a result of the Greek guerrillas' operations against Greece to facilitate the peaceful repatriation to Greece of all such individuals who desire to return and live in accordance with the law of the land;

11. Authorizes the Secretary-General to arrange, through the Special Committee or other appropriate United Nations or international agency, the extension of any feasible assistance to the Governments concerned in making and carrying out arrangements for the repatriation to Greece or resettlement elsewhere of Greek guerrillas and other Greek nationals who have been involved in the guerrilla warfare.

246th plenary meeting,
18 November 1949.

B

The General Assembly, Noting the report[7] submitted by the International Committee of the Red Cross and the League of Red Cross Societies on the question of the repatriation of Greek children, and expressing warm appreciation of the efforts made by the two international Red Cross organizations to facilitate the implementation of General Assembly resolution 193 (III) C, Noting that the Greek children have not as yet been returned to their homes in accordance with the resolution of the General Assembly, and recognizing the necessity of further efforts for the full implementation of this resolution,

1. Instructs the Secretary-General to request the International Committee of the Red Cross and the League of Red Cross Societies to continue their efforts in this humanitarian cause and to lend them all appropriate assistance in carrying out their task;

2. Urges all the Members of the United Nations and other States harbouring the Greek children to make all necessary arrangements, in consultation and co-operation with the international Red Cross organizations, for the early return to their homes of the children in accordance with the aforementioned resolution;

3. Invites the international Red Cross organizations to report to the Secretary-General, for the information of the Members of the United Nations, on the progress being made in the implementation of the present resolution.

246th plenary meeting,
18 November 1949.

C

The General Assembly, Requests the President of the General Assembly to ascertain the views of the Government of Greece concerning the suspension of death sentences passed by military courts for political reasons, as long as the Conciliation Committee is in existence. 268th plenary meeting,
5 December 1949,  

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[1] See Official Records of the fourth session of the General Assembly, Supplement No. 8 and Annex to the First Committee, documents A/981 and A/981/Add.l. [2] See Official Records of the second session of the General Assembly, Resolutions, page 12. [3] See Official Records of the third session of the General Assembly, Part 1, Resolutions, page 18. [4] See Official Records of the fourth session of the General Assembly, Annex to the First Committee, document A/C.1/506. [5] Ibid., Annex to the Plenary Meetings, document A/1062. [6] See Official Records of the fourth session of the General Assembly, Annex to the First Committee, document A/981. [7] Ibid., document A/1014.